Michelle Wirth

Reporter

Michelle comes to WABE after working at KMOX, the CBS radio affiliate in St. Louis, as a county government and general assignment reporter. Before joining KMOX, Michelle served as a medical and general assignment reporter at WSAV-TV, the NBC affiliate in Savannah, GA and as a state government and general assignment reporter at KOMU-TV in Columbia, MO. Michelle has a Master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism and a Bachelor’s in Communications from the University of Denver. She lives in Midtown with her husband, Bryan, and her dog, Chewy.

Marietta City Councilman Johnny Walker said a new state law that legalizes fireworks should be rewritten. The call comes after residents complained. The issue was discussed Wednesday night during a Marietta City Council committee meeting.

Walker said since the new state law went into effect July 1, many residents aren't happy about fireworks going off late at night.

“Small children don’t like it; people that have to work, the fire department really doesn’t like it; the police department doesn’t like it. People just don’t want to hear sounds constantly,” Walker said.

A water boil advisory that was in effect for three days in DeKalb County hurt some local businesses.

The county issued the advisory because crews had to drop the water pressure three times within 36 hours to repair a transmission line that broke late Thursday. It all started last week when a fire hydrant was struck by a crew that was mowing the grass along the road near the transmission line at Henderson Mill and Evans Road.

Emory University’s law school has received an anonymous $1 million gift to train law students in religious freedom. The donation comes as state lawmakers wrestle with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights and religious freedom legislation.

The project is supposed to give students hands-on experience and provide non-partisan information on religious freedom.

Georgia's largest school systems are still searching for dozens of special education teachers. The districts only have a few weeks before students head back to the classroom on Aug. 10.

So far, the Gwinnett school district has hired more than 1,400 new teachers. But it still needs to fill nearly 40 special education positions. Gwinnett County Public Schools spokeswoman Sloan Roach says a nationwide shortage of special education teachers has made hiring them more challenging.

Local

11:30 am

Thu July 23, 2015

Former Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine is representing a group of surgical centers and patients in a lawsuit against Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia. In this 2010 file photo, Oxendine talks to reporters.

Eleven surgical centers and hundreds of their patients are suing Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia.

In the lawsuit filed this week, the centers allege the insurer is overcharging those with preferred provider organization policies, or PPO policies, while reimbursing out-of-network doctors less than they did several years ago. PPO policies allow patients to visit both in-network and out-of-network doctors.

Media mogul and philanthropist Ted Turner said he's happy a portion of Spring Street in downtown Atlanta has been named in his honor. Ted Turner Drive runs between Whitehall and West Peachtree streets.

Dozens clapped and cheered in a hot parking lot on Ted Turner Drive as the street's namesake was approaching the podium. Turner said he’s humbled by the honor.

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it, but I really do. This is a wonderful honor,” Turner said.

Ted Turner Drive runs past Ted's Montana Grill, which is owned by Turner and close to CNN Center.

Local

12:09 pm

Tue July 21, 2015

The Atlanta Streetcar has been involved in eight accidents since January. Richard Mendoza, commissioner of the city's department of public works, said the number of accidents isn't alarming when compared to other cities with streetcars.

Richard Mendoza is the commissioner of the city's department of public works, which oversees the streetcar. During a City Council committee meeting last week, he said the number of accidents isn't alarming compared to other cities with streetcars like Seattle.

“Our performance on industry standard incident rates for our streetcar is acceptable and in line with the industry standard,” Mendoza said.

The Fulton County Sheriff's Department could soon reach a new agreement with federal immigration officials. It comes amid a national discussion on “sanctuary cities.”

Local governments that get the controversial label of a “sanctuary city” generally have policies or laws that limit the amount they cooperate with federal immigration authorities. The proposed agreement in Fulton County would let a federal immigration agent work inside Fulton's jail. The agent would be funded with federal money.

Atlanta’s airport has received a bond ratings upgrade from Fitch Ratings.

This week, the agency boosted two of the airport’s bonds from an A to an A+.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s Chief Financial Officer and Deputy General Manager, Roosevelt Council, says upping those bond ratings, which represent the corporation's bond credit quality, will save the airport millions of dollars in borrowing costs. He says that the cost savings will help Hartsfield-Jackson pay for current and future projects.

Local

11:17 am

Tue July 14, 2015

Cobb County Department of Transportation Director Faye DiMassimo, shown in March, said officials are still looking at options to fund a shuttle service. A study said a shuttle would cost about $1.2 million a year to operate.

According to a new study, there’s large support for a shuttle system that would go to places like the new Atlanta Braves stadium, Cumberland Mall and the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. The study was done by AECOM, a design, engineering and construction firm.

In preliminary results from the study, 94 percent of those surveyed said they’d be interested in the new shuttle service. The study also found the shuttle would cost about $1.2 million a year to operate.

On Friday, the Atlanta VA Medical Center celebrated the grand opening of a new specialty and primary care clinic in Decatur. Center officials say the clinic is supposed to help cut down on primary care and specialty wait times for veterans.

Last year, the Atlanta VA was among the facilities nationwide criticized for lengthy veteran wait times. Center director Leslie Wiggins said the new clinic will help the Atlanta VA with a growing number of veterans.

Local

1:21 pm

Thu July 9, 2015

State Sen. Josh McKoon, R-Columbus, said during a Wednesday news conference that he would explore sanctions against counties that don't fully cooperate with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency.

Starting this week, a remodeled yellow bus that used to belong to the DeKalb Sheriff's Department will begin to make stops throughout the county. The goal of the market is to carry fresh and affordable produce to residents who live in food deserts – areas without grocery stores or farmers markets.

County spokeswoman Emily Schwarz says the county hopes the mobile farmers market improves the health of DeKalb residents.

Congress has until the end of the month to find a way to replenish the ailing Highway Trust Fund. If federal lawmakers don’t reach an agreement, it could affect Georgia highway projects.

The state says it has the $300 million needed to move forward with road projects for the next two months. But if Congress can't figure out a short- or long-term fix for highway funding, Georgia would have to delay a number of the projects it has planned for the rest of the year.

Local

6:03 pm

Fri July 3, 2015

Police departments and government agencies across the U.S., and here in Georgia, are stepping up security following the recent ISIS attacks overseas.

There are no specific threats to Georgia and Atlanta. But as a result of last week’s attacks, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and those it partners with are taking additional precautions.

“There’s probably about a 10 to 15 percent increase of personnel that are available and working this weekend as opposed to in previous years,” said Jim Butterworth, director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security for Georgia.

With fireworks now legal in Georgia, you might be wondering when and where you can shoot them off.

The new law says you can shoot fireworks between 10 a.m. and midnight. On a few special occasions such as the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve, they're allowed until 2 a.m.

The law places few restrictions on where fireworks are off limits. You can't use them within 100 yards of nuclear power plant, a gas station or a refinery. But the law does not address whether they can be used in public places like parks.

As of Wednesday, Georgia will start to regulate ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft. The new law also gives the state the power to oversee taxi cabs. That’s a big change because inspections and permitting used to be handled by local governments like the city of Atlanta.

On a recent Sunday afternoon, taxis are lined up near the Hyatt Regency in downtown Atlanta. Otis Sales is in the third cab back. He’s been driving a taxi part time for over 40 years. But in the past year or so, he’s noticed a drop in business.

Tue June 30, 2015

The barriers are gone for the new Atlanta Braves stadium. The Georgia Supreme Court ruled Monday it’s legal for Cobb County to issue up to $397 million in revenue bonds.

The opinion was unanimous. It says the contract to authorize the bonds between Cobb County and the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and Exhibit Hall Authority is valid. The opinion went on to say financing for the Braves deal was structured in a manner consistent with revenue bond law and previous rulings on the state’s constitution. Cobb County Chairman Tim Lee says he’s pleased with the decision.

Health & Science

5:20 pm

Fri June 26, 2015

Now that the state has launched a medical marijuana registry, doctors throughout Georgia can sign up patients.

Those who qualify to legally possess the oil need to have one of eight different medical conditions. Those conditions include: seizure disorders, some forms of cancer, Parkinson’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, mitochondrial disease and sickle cell anemia. The registry comes after the signing of HB 1 by Gov. Nathan Deal.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has placed East Point’s civic block on its list of most endangered historic places.

The block includes a condemned auditorium and a city library, which now serves as a storage facility. There's also a City Hall, which is only partially in use. The National Trust says the properties on East Point's civic block, which were built in the 1930s, are "suffering a potential fate of demolition by neglect."

Stasio Rusek, president of the East Point Preservation Alliance, said getting on the list will help save the buildings.

The Archdiocese of Atlanta is responding to Pope Francis' call to combat climate change. The archbishop of Atlanta, Wilton Gregory, asked a local panel to come up with a plan of action in response to a 192-page letter written by Francis.

Last week, the pope called for bold actions to respond to climate change. He said wealthy nations need to take responsibility for how their lifestyles affect the environment and the world's poorest countries.

Local

11:25 am

Tue June 23, 2015

Beverley Petrunich, co-owner of DoGone Fun, a Chicago day care and boarding facility, visits with some of her clients. A strain of the dog flu that hit the Midwest seems to be showing up in metro Atlanta. Among the symptoms dog owners should look out for in their pets: fever, cough and lethargy.

The same strain of dog flu that caused a Midwest outbreak appears to be spreading in metro Atlanta.

Several area veterinarians have confirmed cases of canine influenza. It's also been seen at day care and boarding facilities. Jennifer Hunt with WAG-A-LOT in Decatur said her location hasn't had any cases yet but is taking precautions.

The authority overseeing the Fort McPherson-Tyler Perry property sale deal has proposed a new road on the property. Critics say taxpayer money shouldn’t pay for the $500,000 upgrade.

There’s a VA medical clinic on the former base. Portions of several roads leading there cut through property that could soon be owned by Tyler Perry Studios.

So the McPherson Implementing Local Redevelopment Authority says a new road is needed. It would be paid for with tax money from nearby commercial property owners in the Campbellton Road Tax Allocation District.

Georgia’s medical marijuana registry is up and running. That’s according to the state’s Department of Public Health, which is in charge of keeping track of which Georgians can legally possess cannabis oil.

Local gay rights activists hope the U.S. Supreme Court rules later this month that same-sex marriage is constitutional. But some fear the ruling could also cause some Georgia businesses to discriminate against gay couples who want to get married.

Politics

12:39 pm

Tue June 16, 2015

The legislation also says those with conditions such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis and sickle cell disease would have to be near death or have severe symptoms to get the oil.

Medical cannabis oil is now legal in Georgia for people with eight different medical conditions, but getting it could mean breaking federal law. Georgia lawmakers are working on several ways to address this issue.

Tuesday, Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Brenda Fitzgerald is expected to announce the state has completed a registry for cannabis oil users.